Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-03-30

| I think it would be very good OF you II
you would ask the poor child there, too,
il only to give her breath Of fresh air.
She Is looking really i'll, it strikes me,
and, if you could put her up for a bit, I
know it would delight Millicent."
"Why; of course-of course" says
kindly Lady Valworth. Anything to
please dear Millicent; and, besides, all
you have said about Miss Roche quite in
terests me-"
"She is we'll worth your interest,"" be-
gins Mrs. Brand warmly, when foot
steps on the landing outside check her.
"Ah! here she comes, probably. Now
you will be able to see for yourself what
a remarkably charming creature she is"
The door, opening, admits the two
girls. Millicent smiling, and little mis-
chievous perhaps, as sort OF armor
against the scolding impending. Nadine
calm and gentle as usual. Lady Valworth,
as she takes her hand, holds it kindly,
and gazes long into the girls lovely face.
Her blue eyes, innocent as O summer
sky, her soft waving hair, the charm OF
her mobile mouth, all make deep i'm
preston upon the mother OF Grant
Boyle. ;5i,',- <.
IM.s. Brand tells me you are looking
pale, my dear" she begins, drawing the
girl down upon the seat near her; that
London smoke has robbed you OF all yonr
pretty roses I cannot speak from my
own experience, of course, as this is the
first time we have met, but it seems to
me that q pretty child like you should
not have such sorrowful eyes,"
Nadine laughs q little, but the tears
rise as she does SO to the "sorrowful
eyes," 8.
"Are YOU strong-are you well?' goes
on Lady Valworth, still keeping posses
sion of the girls hand.
"I think so. You are very good. 10
trouble yourself at all about me is very
kind. And indeed there Is nothing the
matter with me-eXcept-except that
sometimes feel little tired"
"Tired. All! yes, I see. Well; there
is a little scheme afloat about you. A
tiny conspiracy, let me tell you. Have
YOU ever heard of Valworth Park? Yes!
It is very pretty place, will allow, and
one calculated to bring back the blushes
to pale cheeks" touching Madness face
as she speaks. "Wcll! What do you
think of our scheme? Will you like to
come to me to the park for week or
two?"
"To 20 to the country-to see again the
green fields-the trees-the aowers, ]"
breathes Nadine family.
"And more than that" laughs Lady
valworth gayly. "You shall not be left
to the lambs for company. Millicent
is coming to me, too, and good many
others. Some friends of yours. MIR.
Duran and his little Clytie, for example. /"
Where are the pale cheeks now, the
languid lids? Gone. Uplifted are the
lids, and from beneath them two great,
eager, sparkling eyes CLEAN forth.
at is true, my DEAR" chatters on her
ladyship, pleased with the effect her an.
nouncement is having on the pretty child
beside her, though she entirely misunder-
stands the pretty child's agitation. II
! always have my house full in August,
for many reasons. For one, the grouse;
for another, because Capt. boyle's birth
day (my son, my dear) occurs in Au-
gust, and + always give my big dance
then" She smiles charmingly and pats
| Nadine's hand as though the mention OF
! her handsome son is sweet to her. $50
you see you will not be compelled to q
prosy tete-a-tete with an old woman.
You shall have youth to make you merry
and take that tired look out of your
pretty eyes. Though regret my son
will not be with us until the seventeenth,
the evening of his birthday fete-just
barely in time for it, in fact
..He Is going away"' murmurs Ma
dine, by way of making conversation,
though, in truth, she hears little, and
can think of nothing but that Maurice
Duran is to be at the park at the time
for which she has been invited. Can she
accept the invitation? Dare she? But,
oh! how good thing it would be to be
near him for q whole week-perhaps q
fortnight!
EYES," Lady Valworth is saying apro-
pos her son she is going abroad to Swift
zerland, he tells me, with some bachelor
friends of his. OF course he has many
friends When you meet him." with q
proud smile, '!you will understand that.
And so you will come, my dear? Milli-
cent, hear, will be inconsolable If you
refuse"
"I-I should like it'-begins Nadine
stammering and faltering, afraid to refuse
afraid (far more afraidD to accept, that
! little struggle with her conscience not
being yet ended.
"Then that's all right" declares Lady
Valworth heartily mistaking her indecis-
ion for shyness. "Millicent, darling, /"
calling to Miss Grey, who has just come
off victorious in an encounter with her
auntic, who has, at the close of it, found
herself declaring, very much against her
better judgment, that Gerald Massareene,
| for pauper, is q wonderfully well regu-
lated young man, and that, of course,
there was no harm in Miss Greys meet
ing him at Miss Duran's afternoons.
$50 long as you remember you are en-
gagged to your cousin" she winds up,
desperately. Miss Grey shrugs her shoul-
ders and mods acquiescence. The time
is not yet ripe, she tells herself, for spring
| ing the entire truth upon her already
too distressed aunt" AS she finishes
! this remarkable sentence in her own mind
| she laughs and assures herself that the
| lessons in German have not been entirely
| wanted!
"Millcent, darling" calls Lady Val
worth, and Millicent, starting slightly,
| turns to her. "your little friend here has
| promised to come to me on the fifth.
That is the lay on which you have de-
cided, is it not:" looking ut Mrs Brand.
"Of course, my dear" to Nadine, lit
will be nicer and moro comfortable for
you to travel with Mrs. Brand"
"Of course" says Mrs. Brand, and SO
the discussion ends. Madness conscience,
| whether satisfied or not, is forbidden
| further interference. All management
| in the affair has been taken out of her
| hands.
She is feeling depressed and rather
nervous. Rising, as Millicent comes
toward her, she bids soft but hasty
adieu to Lady Valworth.
$50 soon, Nadine?' says Mrs. Brand.
"Why, Lady Valworth has not had time
! to grow accustomed even to your face
yet. Could you not stay and dine? You
so seldom come to us OH an off day, one
| that is separate from your German, that
I should like to keep you tonight"
eyes, do stay, Nadine" entreats Milli-
cent.
"You need not mind your gown, "
says Mrs Brand. "There will be nobody
but Capt. Boyle"
THANK you. Not tonight. Mamma
would be uneasy if she did not know
what had kept me-" returns Nadine,
gently. She would another time have
been delighted to stay, but now she
longs only for the moment when She shall
find herself alone, that she may think
without interruption of this strange joy
this happiness half fear-that has been
offered to her.
The entrance of other visitors checks
| further solicitations from Mrs Brand